Hello!
Comments regarding Stanford's reinstating the sports that were cut, as well as comments regarding some other schools' reinstatements.
"IN STUNNING REVERSAL, ..." is how the San Francisco newspaper headlined the news article. It is considered STUNNING that Stanford is reinstating reinstated the sports. I do not know whether the same media outlet called it "stunning" when the cuts were made last year, but I do know that they consider it STUNNING that the reinstatements are now being made.
Some information quoted from various articles:
"Months of pressure from high profile alumni, students, and coaches, as well as a fundraising effort aimed at helping the sports become financially self-sustaining."
"Vigorous and broad-based philanthropic interest in Stanford athletics on the part of our alumni which have convinced us that raising the increased funds necessary to support all 36 of our varsity teams is an approach that can succeed." (statement by Stanford's President)
"The 11 sports that were cut already had a combined $23 million endowment (4 of the sports close to fully endowed) and as of early April 2021 (7 weeks ago) had received about $50 million in pledges to support the 11 sports in the future." That was 7 weeks ago, it is very possible that the pledges have continued to increase since then.
"The actual savings from the 11 sports cut would have been roughly $8 million annually." (men's volleyball, wrestling, field hockey, men's and women's fencing, lightweight weight rowing, men's rowing, co-ed and women's sailing, squash and synchronized swimming)
"Significant alumni from the 11 programs have combined to earn 27 Olympic medals and the 11 programs have combined for more than 20 national titles." (some national titles very recently)
"Outpouring of goodwill and some truly innovative thinking."
STANFORD ATHLETICS PROGRAM HAS WON THE DIRECTORS CUP AS THE NUMBER ONE OVERALL ATHLETICS PROGRAM NATIONALLY FOR 25 YEARS.
And, regarding some other schools' cuts and reimbursements:
According to a Forbes article, 110 sports programs were cut in D-1 since the start of the pandemic. Now 35 of those 110 have been reinstated at 9 of the 34 schools who have made cuts. A large majority, 75 of those 110 sports, are still cut. A large majority of the 34 schools have reinstated none of the sports they cut.
Among the schools that have had reinstatements, other than Stanford:
William & Mary reinstated men's lacrosse and men's swimming & diving, only for 2021-22 and beyond that only if outside financial support commitment should continue.
LaSalle reinstated men's swimming & diving after fundraising benchmarks were reached last month.
Bowling Green State University reinstated baseball after passionate baseball alumni raised $1.5 million dollars within the first 18 days after the the sport was cut; with continuation being dependent upon the extent to which finding a successful long-term funding solution is successful by 2023.
Clemson, Iowa, Brown, Dartmouth - of course those schools can afford to reinstate: they are schools probably either flush with athletics dollars, due to either the high level of their athletics income, in the case of the former 2; or due to being Ivy League schools with huge endowments, wealthy alumni, and also possibly due to relatively inexpensive overall travel budget necessary for away competition, in the case of the latter 2.
Wishing peace, good will, and wellness to those who continue to process their grief in regard to the elimination of Furman baseball.
If any of you would successfully contribute to the eventual reinstatement of Furman baseball with your "Outpouring of goodwill and some truly innovative thinking" and with "Vigorous and broad-based philanthropic interest ... on the part of our alumni" (as at Stanford), or with whatever other positive factors have allowed at least temporary reinstatements at certain other schools, that would be good.
